The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG),
A beacon of hope for countless individuals, is based in South Africa – its impact reaches across every province, home, and heart that has ever faced the darkness of mental illness. For over 31 years, SADAG has been the country’s leading mental health NGO, answering calls for help every day and night of the year. Through donations, and crowdfunding, BackaBuddy has partnered with SADAG , in an effort to help raise awareness around mental health and the amazing work the organisation does.
Answering the Call for Help
For SADAG, every ring of the phone represents a life – someone in crisis, reaching out as a attempt to be seen, to be heard, to be saved. Their
24-hour Suicide Crisis Helplines are often the only lifeline for thousands of South Africans who find themselves in moments of despair
As SADAG’s Development Manager, Fatima Seedat, explains, “‘Answer The Call for Help’ means more than picking up a phone – it’s about showing up for someone at the exact moment they feel invisible, hopeless, or alone.”
Every month, SADAG faces the monumental task of keeping their helplines open. Their operating costs reach R180,000, ensuring that trained counsellors can continue to provide free, compassionate support to every caller. To sustain this service, they’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, aptly titled “Answer The Call for Help”, which has already raised over R12,610 from 24 generous donors.
Each contribution, no matter how small, keeps hope alive.
As Fatima shared, “When a caller is ready to end their life, that one answered call can change everything.”
She recounts the story of a young man who phoned them one night, moments away from taking his own life. The counsellor’s gentle patience and empathy turned that moment of despair into survival – saving his life through connection, compassion, and care.
A Partnership for Hope
For BackaBuddy, partnering with SADAG is not just a collaboration – it’s a commitment to compassion. The platform, known for connecting everyday heroes with causes that matter, has joined forces with SADAG to help raise both funds and awareness for mental health.
This partnership underscores a shared mission: ensuring that no person’s cry for help goes unanswered. Together, they aim to break the silence surrounding mental health and inspire South Africans to take part in the movement – by donating, crowdfunding, or simply showing kindness.
As SADAG puts it, “Through this collaboration, every donation becomes part of something bigger: a shared effort to ensure that no cry for help goes unanswered. But it’s not only the callers who benefit — giving and extending kindness also nurtures the giver’s own mental wellbeing.”
The Healing Power of Giving
Science agrees: giving is good for your mental health. Acts of generosity – from volunteering to donating – trigger the release of endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin, often called the “happiness hormones.” These natural chemicals help reduce stress, combat anxiety, and foster a deeper sense of connection.
It’s what BackaBuddy calls “Growing Givers” – the idea that when you give, you grow. Giving to SADAG isn’t just about keeping the phone lines open; it’s also about creating ripples of kindness that heal both the receiver and the giver. As SADAG notes,
“When you help someone, you also help yourself.”
Becoming a Champion for Mental Health
Anyone, anywhere in South Africa, can become a champion for SADAG on BackaBuddy. You don’t have to be a counsellor to save lives – you can host a charity run, arrange an awareness day, and then back your efforts with a BackBuddy campaign. Every initiative contributes to a collective promise: that every call for help will be answered.
And for those who are struggling themselves, SADAG offers this reminder:
“Reach out for help if you need it, even if it’s just to say, ‘I’m not okay.’ Answering the call doesn’t always mean being on the helpline – sometimes it’s simply choosing kindness, choosing connection, choosing to care.”
A Shared Mission of Hope
In a world where so many feel unseen, this partnership between SADAG and BackaBuddy represents unity, hope, and humanity at its best, reminding South Africans that compassion is a strength – and that through giving, we not only lift others, but we lift ourselves.
To support SADAG, visit their BackaBuddy campaign link here:
👉 https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/answer-the-call-for-hope
Share the story, donate if you can – even as little as R50 can save a life – and help ensure that no call for help ever goes unanswered.